NBC’s Mitchell apologizes after wrongly correcting Cruz Shakespeare reference

NBC’s Andrea Mitchell on Wednesday apologized for wrongly correcting Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) about the source of the quote “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” 

“@SenTedCruzsays #ImpeachmentTrial is like Shakespeare full of sound and fury signifying nothing. No, that’s Faulkner,” Mitchell tweeted.

.@SenTedCruz says #ImpeachmentTrial is like Shakespeare full of sound and fury signifying nothing. No, that’s Faulkner

— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) February 10, 2021

The quote “It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” appears in the fifth act of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” William Faulkner’s 1929 Southern Gothic novel derives its title from the quote.

“I clearly studied too much American literature and not enough Macbeth. My apologies to Sen. Cruz,” Mitchell said in a follow-up tweet, after numerous tweets correcting her.

I clearly studied too much American literature and not enough Macbeth. My apologies to Sen. Cruz.

— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) February 11, 2021

Faulkner cribbing Shakespeare. Come on now. https://t.co/t4KTnqtzY1

— David Simon (@AoDespair) February 11, 2021

a tale is being told but there are too many idiots to count https://t.co/h0dZkEaHVh

— maura quint (@behindyourback) February 11, 2021

oh dear https://t.co/FWG93bBSKd

— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) February 11, 2021

I screamed https://t.co/yxVkjyQdnx

— Lyz Lenz (@lyzl) February 11, 2021

The other day somebody said “as Solomon said, to everything there is a season.” No, that’s The Byrds. https://t.co/ijNjVeY4z1

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) February 11, 2021

Cruz also responded, citing the soliloquy the quote derives from and mocking a reply from Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin that also appeared unaware of its origins.

Methinks she doth protest too much.

One would think NBC would know the Bard. Andrea, take a look at Macbeth act 5, scene 5:

“[Life] struts & frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound & fury,
Signifying nothing.” pic.twitter.com/3GbvoLSJTh

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 11, 2021

Between NBC & the Washington Post, you’d think somebody would have read Macbeth. pic.twitter.com/RvTgHyTVIg

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 11, 2021